UC Librarians Fight for Academic Freedom, Pay Equity

BY HANK REICHMAN This afternoon I had the pleasure of joining a demonstration of University of California librarians and their supporters outside the Berkeley campus’s Doe Library where the latest bargaining session between the UC-AFT Librarians and the UC administration was taking place.  As I previously reported, academic freedom is a central topic of negotiation. …

UC, Librarians, and Academic Freedom

BY MICHAEL MERANZE The following is reposted with permission from the Remaking the University blog.  Michael Meranze is Professor of History at UCLA and a member of AAUP’s Committee A on Academic Freedom and Tenure.  For previous posts on this topic go here and here.  As part of their negotiations with the university, University of…

Censorship at the Evanston Public Library

BY JOHN K. WILSON On Friday June 2, the Evanston Public Library held a hearing that may lead to the firing of librarian Lesley Williams this week. Her alleged crime? Posting a message on her personal Facebook page criticizing the library’s efforts at racial equity. This makes it an important case in the wake of…

Carla Hayden Nominated to be Librarian of Congress

BY HANK REICHMAN President Barack Obama today announced his intent to nominate Carla D. Hayden as Librarian of Congress.  Hayden would be the first woman and the first African American to hold the position. Carla Hayden is CEO of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, Maryland, a position she has held since 1993. She…

ACRL Statement on Academic Freedom

The following statement was approved by the Board of Directors of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) during the Annual Conference of the American Library Association, June 2015. Librarians have a long history and practice of defending the free expression of ideas. The “Code of Ethics of American Library Association” (2008) states that…

Which Banned Book Are You?

In recognition of Banned Books Week, September 21-27, librarians at Columbus State Community College (CSCC) in Ohio have developed this quiz which playfully helps you learn which banned book bests fits your personality!  Try it here: http://www.playbuzz.com/columbusstatelibrary10/which-banned-book-are-you CSCC is one of seven organizations to win Banned Books Week grants from the Freedom to Read Foundation’s…